


The one who doesn't try (fails only once)

by umiwomitai



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, Getting to Know Each Other, Husbands to Lovers, Light Angst, M/M, Red Velvet members are mentionned, Secret Relationship, Strangers to Lovers, Unspecified Setting, side johnyu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-20
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-07-09 12:00:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19887385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/umiwomitai/pseuds/umiwomitai
Summary: The deal Ten had made with his father to find himself a proper husband before his 23rd birthday has come to an end, and he feels stupid for thinking his father would ever let him off easy, and for never really trying to fall in love. There come his future husband Doyoung, looking like the perfect man, followed by his adviser (and secret lover) Kun, and falling in love has never been easier as well as more complicated.





	The one who doesn't try (fails only once)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!  
> This has been extremely hard for me to write and finish. I'm not extremely proud of it and I wish I could have done better, but considering I've been thinking about giving up multiple times, I'm still happy I got to finish it, and on time! This is then my submission for the following prompt:  
> "47. Character A (a prince) is pretty sure he's not supposed to fall in love with the prince he's being forcefully betrothed to (Character B), nor is he supposed to fall in love with B's secret lover (Character C), especially when B seems hellbent on making sure that the marriage is called off."  
> Prompter, if you ever come across this, I sincerely hope I did it justice. To anyone else, I hope you enjoy it, and thank you for reading.
> 
> (english isn't my first language, so please excuse any weird sentence/mistake that I could have missed)

It’s a clear morning, sun barely peeking from behind the mountains, and the birds are already chirping. In the castle, it looks like everyone is still sleeping and the long hallways are empty, no sound resonating. Except for one small woman, walking up the stairs with a tray full of her in her hands, you can’t see anyone, anything out of place. 

She walks up to the prince’s wing and knocks on his door twice; she doesn’t expect an answer as he’s never up this early. She simply comes in and even though it’s still dark inside she moves herself inside the room as if it was hers. She puts the tray on the table near the bed, fills up a jug with fresh water and goes to open the curtains.

“Ugh, is it really time?”

“Yes it is, my Prince. Your guests are set to arrive in an hour, you have to get ready.” 

The prince groans one more, just because he can, before pulling off the covers and getting out of bed. He takes the wet cloth the servant hands him and goes to his mirror to wash his face. 

“Yerim, can you please bring me my clothes? I’ll just get dressed and head out.”

“Sir, you have to eat breakfast first.”

Ten grimaces at the idea of having to eat what is waiting for him on the tray, but he’d rather eat whatever Yerim has brought him than having to hear his sister nag him all day long about how important breakfast is. He gets dressed with Yerim’s help, then sits down to have a bowl of porridge with some fruits. God, does he hate this. 

Fortunately for him, he doesn’t get to eat half of the fruits since a knock interrupts his meal. His servant is already heading for the door when someone comes in uninvited. Ten can see his bodyguard standing just outside, eyes not leaving the person’s back, so he knows it’s safe. Indeed, it’s simply an out of breath Hendery standing there, hands on his knees as he tries to catch his breath again.

“What are you doing here so early, Henney?” 

“The… the guests…”

Yerim hands him a glass of water which he chugs immediately. Now that he can form an entire sentence he walks to Ten, bows slightly, before looking at him. 

“The guests have arrived.”

“Fuck, so early?”

Ten isn’t supposed to speak so bluntly, so vulgarily, especially not in front of other people, but the three of them are people he knows he can trust, and it’s not like he cares much about the etiquette and the rules. He can even see Yerim chuckle at his surprise. 

“Yes. I’ve lead them to the gardens so they can wait for you while visiting.”

“Good, very good Henney. Go tell them I’m on my way.”

Hendery nods, bows, and is gone by the time Ten finishes his glass of honey tea. His servant brings him his light summer coat and makes sure his flowy blouse is well tied while he checks his hair in the mirror. The prince puts on his shoes and turns to his bodyguard. 

“How do I look, sweetheart?” 

“Mesmerizing,” she answers with a smile.

“Like always,” and with those words Ten leaves the room, his bodyguard following, as they head for the gardens. 

* * *

There, they find a small group of people surrounding the fountain, Hendery talking very loudly about the construction of the statue decorating it. It must be only four of them, which Ten finds intriguing; they expected more than this. 

They walk closer and Ten can recognise one of them as the Heir of one of the neighbouring kingdoms. He stands tall and beautiful, as usual, and speaks with a firm and clear voice, showing how fitted he is for the role he’s been assigned at birth. Ten has heard the first born male is always set to take over the throne in this kingdom, but he thinks it’s an outdated ridiculous rule set by men afraid of how powerful women could be. 

Next to him, holding onto his arm, is standing his wife. Oh, lord, Ten can already feel his headache coming up. While the princess is a lovely lady, she is also terribly fake and mannered in a way that makes him want to shake her strongly. He didn’t know she was supposed to come, but now that he thinks about it it only makes sense. 

He easily guesses who the other man with them is; Doyoung. He is the other prince, the youngest one, and his soon-to-be husband. Pale, clothes dark, hair neatly combed, he reminds Ten of his childhood tutor, which definitely doesn’t make him want to get married to him. 

The thing is, Ten was never supposed to marry a stranger, even though he sort of already knows who Doyoung is. On his eighteenth birthday, his father had made him promise to find himself a proper husband by the age of twenty-three, before his sister takes over the throne. Ten had accepted, because after all 5 years was a pretty decent deal, and he had plenty of time to find himself a lover. 

Except that, Ten is very bad with deadlines. He easily gets distracted and loses track of time quickly. 5 years become 5 months, which quickly end up being only one day until Ten realises that he’s still very much single. It’s not that he lacks pretendants, he could very well choose anyone among them and present the lucky boy as his lover to his father, but he’s not an idiot and he’s especially not cruel enough. He’d always meant to get married to someone he loved, not just to someone who admired him as a Prince. 

Which is where Doyoung comes into the picture. Ten’s father has foreseen his son’s recklessness so he had convinced Doyoung’s father to have them married if Ten didn’t complete his part of the deal by the time his twenty-third birthday was here. 

So now here Ten is, standing in the gardens way too early for his liking, looking at his fiancé and his family, and some random man who he assumes is Doyoung’s bodyguard. He braces himself, forces a smile on his face and walks up to them.

“Hello your Highness, I am sincerely sorry for making you wait.”

“Oh no worries, my Prince, we’re the ones who showed up earlier than planned.”

“It is true that we weren’t expecting you so soon. Were you in a rush?”

Ten listens as Donghyeon explains, all the while making sure not to meet Doyoung’s eyes. The man next to him, however, catches his eyes very easily, and Ten has to admit he sure looks pretty for a bodyguard. He smiles at him politely, and the man answers with a bow and a small dimpled smile. Dangerous. 

Hendery leans to him and taps on his forearm softly, catching his attention.

“My Prince, your father wishes to have a talk with Prince Donghyeon, how about you take a stroll with Prince Doyoung?”

Ten wishes it was socially accepted to strangle people in public, because this is exactly what he feels like doing to his close adviser, but he swallows back his rage and nods politely. 

“Of course, I won’t hold you back any longer. Hendery will lead the way,” Ten says to the oldest man, before turning to Doyoung, finally granting him a smile. “Come with me?”

“With pleasure, my Prince.”

Those words are dripping with honey and sugar, yet Doyoung’s face is colder than ever. He follows him nonetheless, the unknown man walking just a few steps behind. Ten makes them stop in the gardenia garden, sitting on a bench that hides them from everyone around. 

“Well, now that it’s just us,” Ten sighs, and then points a finger at the supposed bodyguard, who is still standing a few steps from them, “who is that?”

The poor man is surprised by the sudden and quite rude question, so he stumbles on words and feels his ears turn red. 

“I’m his…”

“He’s my adviser. His name is Kun, and if you want him to leave us alone, I’m afraid I’ll have to refuse.”

Ten raises an eyebrow at this, amused by Doyoung’s firm tone. It feels like he’s really keen on having Kun at his sides. 

“He can stay, of course. It’ll be my joy.”

Doyoung relaxes visibly for a second, before he turns to Kun and blanches. 

There, Kun is standing more tense than before, the steel of a blade on his sides. Ten’s bodyguard has appeared in less than a second, coming from apparently nowhere to threaten Kun. Doyoung stands up immediately but doesn’t move, not wanting to see his precious adviser get hurt.

“So it was true. You don’t go anywhere unprotected.”

“Oh, were you trying to test this? But indeed, Joy is always here. She’s good at making herself unnoticed, don’t you think?” 

Ten knows perfectly well how much Doyoung must hate him at this exact moment, but they both know that he can’t make a move to change anything about it, so he simply sits back down. Ten motions for Joy to take away her blade and she does as told, but stays close enough to strike if needed. 

“Now, answer properly. Who is Kun?”

Doyoung turns to him, face made of steel, while Ten’s expression turns firm. He knows there’s something Doyoung isn’t saying because he’s just that easy to read. If only he knew how easily Ten could play with him. 

Doyoung doesn’t speak a single work, so Kun does before Ten can tell Joy to move. 

“We are lovers.” 

With absolute delight, Ten watches his fiancé’s face show weakness, but it is quickly followed by fear in his eyes. 

“Don’t worry,” Ten says as he leans back on the bench. “You have no need to be afraid. I won’t tell anyone.”

“You better not!” Doyoung spits at him. 

“Doyoung, be nice.” Kun then turns to Ten and looks at him with a strong stance - oh, Ten likes him already. “My Prince, we would like to present you with a deal.”

“A deal?” Ten laughs wholeheartedly, for minutes, eyes full of mirth. His audience is not amused. “A deal? Are you aware that it’s a deal that actually put us all in this situation? I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m pretty sure it’s a terrible idea.”

Doyoung sighs soundly, gaze lost in the flowers in front of them. The wind is already rising, no clouds visible in the sky, and he knows that it will be a beautiful day. Yet, he doesn’t feel any joy from it. It’s almost as if the weather is mocking him, displaying all its beauty while he’s here listening to words of poison and speaking words of ashes. 

“I will make your father change his mind.”

Ten isn’t taking him seriously, as his smile grows even bigger and his fingers come play with one of the many necklaces on his chest. 

“Oh well, another joke.”

“This is serious.”

“I’m aware, Doyoung, but let me be clear: no one in this castle has ever managed to make my father change his mind. Except for my sister once, but I doubt she will agree to help you. You see, this marriage is probably the best political agreement my dad has concluded over the past ten years, and I know what I’m talking about. So I’m behind you if you want to cancel our union, whatever your reasons,” Ten muses with a vague hand motion towards Kun, who has the decency to feel embarrassed, “but let’s be real. This will never happen.”

“So what? Are we supposed to simply sit here and wait for the wedding to happen without doing anything?”

“I’m pretty sure that it’s what’s expected of us.” 

Silence falls upon them, and even Joy doesn’t dare make a move. The three men all take the time to realise that this is it, this is what their life is supposed to be. Ten will marry a man he barely knows and surely isn’t in love with. Doyoung will be separated from his lover, having to appear happy with his situation every time he’s in public. Kun will have to live a lonely life while the person he loves is married to another. 

They realise the weight of this decision, and Ten starts to feel guilty his carelessness has brought not just one but two other people in his misery. It makes him angry and now, he understands Doyoung’s determination. 

“You know what? Let’s do it.”

“What?”

“No hard feelings, but I don’t really want to get married to you, and you obviously don’t want to marry me either.” He smiles at Kun as he says so, and the man answers with a grateful smile. “So I’ll help you with convincing my father.”

* * *

After his brother has left the palace, Doyoung is shown to the guest rooms. Ten gets him a nice room at the end of the hallway, just near the stairs that lead to Kun’s room, and he winks at him when Doyoung understands. 

“You didn’t have to.”

“Indeed. So just appreciate my kindness and get us out of trouble.” 

In a swish, Ten is out of the room and on his way to the training grounds. There, the guards and soldiers are training, along with the children that usually come here to learn. Ten practices a lot with them, and sometimes teaches, but he has been forbidden to do such things now that he’s set to prepare for his wedding. He greets the ones who come to him, waves at the kids who bow, and leaves just as quickly to reach the stables. 

The wind is strong now, blowing in the trees and making the horses impatient to go out. There are a few servants tending to them, and someone he recognises is Kun standing in a corner. He walks up to him. A horse is laying there, in front of them, slowly eating what Kun is giving. 

“Is it yours?”

Kun is startled for a moment, and wants to stand up to bow at him but Ten stops him before he even moves, smiling softly. The other man then resumes feeding the horse. 

“It’s Doyoung’s. I do not own a horse, so I take care of his.”

“Do you want to go for a ride with me?”

“Excuse me, your highness? I’m not sure I understand.”

“I said what I said. I was planning on going around the fields, it’s soon harvest season so I want to check on our farmers. I’m going to go, whether you accompany me,” Ten states with a shrug, turning around on his heels to go look for his own horse. 

Kun seems to hesitate, sitting there for a little longer, before he gets up and dusts his pants. He walks closer to Ten, always staying at a respectable distance, and contemplates Ten’s horse. 

“Is it far?”

“Hm, rather? I’ve never thought much about it, but Hendery would probably say it’s a waste of time.”

Ten smirks as he sees Kun’s expression turn into a frown, and then in a puzzled face. He’s starting to like this man. 

“Why would you go, then?”

“Because I want to.” 

“Your life really is that easy, isn’t it?” and his face isn’t angry, his tone isn’t biting. He just sounds tired and maybe, just maybe a tad bit bitter. It reminds Ten of who Kun actually is, who he wishes he could be, who he’ll never have the freedom to be. 

“Not really. I just have the right people around me taking care of the consequences. I’m actually very careless, to be honest. Hendery would say so.”

“It sounds like Hendery has a lot to say about you.”

“Only because he’s seen a lot.” Ten then hops on his horse, setting his coat correctly before making sure his gloves are tied properly. He leans in to whisper to Kun, “Are you coming then, sweet boy?”

He hesitates, obviously, and then, just as he looks close to saying yes, he takes a step back and lowers his head.

“I shouldn’t, your highness. I have meetings to attend and Doyoung will probably look for me.”

“Alright.” 

Ten smiles at him, and then makes his horse walk to the doors of the stables. There, he leans in again, but this time to grab the little bell that’s sitting on a small shelf near the door. As it rings, a stable boy immediately appears, a fork in his hands.

“Yes, your highness?”

“Please harness Sunflower and bring him to me when he’s ready. I’m going on an excursion with my friend here.”

“Of course, your highness, it’ll be ready in no time.”

Kun seems panicked when he understands he is the friend Ten is talking about, and even as Ten is leaving, he follows him with hurried strides. 

“Your highness! I’m afraid I can’t come along!” 

“I’ve heard that much, indeed.”

“Then… Then why?!” he asks out of breath once Ten has stopped. 

“Doyoung’s adviser can’t come, sadly, and will have to stay here. However, I’ve heard that Sir Kun is very interested in nature and wants to know more about our agriculture and the secrets of our diverse fauna. It just so happens that it is what I intend to do today, go around and check on our people. So, are you coming or not?”

Ten watches as the other stands speechless, hesitating and probably regretting having to stay in the castle all day. The wind is still blowing but there’s not a cloud in the sky and everyone outside is enjoying this beautiful day. Ten sure wants to do just the same, and Kun coming along would make it better but he’s not going to stop himself just because of him. 

The stable boy arrives before Kun has the chance to give his answer, and it’s probably what makes him give in.

“Alright.”

“Perfect. Younghoon, please inform Hendery that I’m leaving with Kun, but we’ll be back before dinner.”

“What about lunch, then, your highness?”

“Oh right, lunch…” He thinks for a few seconds before making a vague hand motion. “Just tell him we have it covered so he doesn’t worry.”

“Alright, your highness. Should I also inform Sir Doyoung of your whereabouts?”

“That would be lovely, thank you very much.”

Once Kun is sitting on his own horse and finally ready to take off, they leave the training grounds and take an old dirt road just on their left.

* * *

Days pass, as Ten watches himself grow ever closer to Kun.

He can’t really help himself, he’s always been curious about the rumours of Doyoung’s secret partner. Because oh, so many rumours he had heard, but none of them did Kun justice. 

Kun is the son of a member of Doyoung’s father’s council and by extent, he was brought up in the castle, along with other sons of diplomats and important members of the court, while still never getting to really fit in. Technically, his mother wasn’t considered as a member of the court and that made him obtain a lower status than anyone else around him. Nevertheless, he has received a proper education, being taught how to read, how to yield a sword, how to ride a horse, how to do math and understand basic chemistry, all of this by some of the best teachers their kingdom could find. 

He was the brilliant hardworking boy among all the others whose title had just been handed to them. Yet, he had never thrived to prove them wrong when everyone was saying he didn’t belong there. His only goal in life was to learn as much as he could and, maybe, if the King would be kind enough to indulge him, earn a position at the Castle Academy. He had settled for this simple and humble wish, only wanting to be able to do what he was good at in peace. 

And then, during a meeting, his father had a heart attack. 

Oh no, he hadn’t passed away, but the fear had shaken up the whole castle, and Kun especially, for a good few hours. After that, the king ordered him to step away from his position and go back to his summer residence to rest. Kun, despite his wish to leave with him and take care of his father, was assigned as temporary member of the council. While he wasn’t happy about this decision at first, he realised very quickly that he’s only serving as an intermediary during the meeting as his father continued to send in his recommendations and advice. 

He settles in this position, and gets to spend more time with Donghyeon, but also with Doyoung. They grow close very fast. Too fast, too close. After a few months of treading around the topic, they both come to terms with the situation and decide to start a secret relationship. It doesn’t change anything for them, really, except for the constant and dull pain of having to be away from the other. 

Kun is brilliant, and smart, and cultured. He loves knowledge but isn’t afraid to show his own weaknesses and loves to learn from more knowledgeable people when he can. It’s a trait that Ten grows to admire in him, and then loves. 

He feels himself growing fond of the man, in a way he didn’t think possible, and realises quickly that it shows when Hendery gives him sad looks. He can’t stop himself from falling, he’s never known how to master his emotions, so he simply hides them, too afraid to ever think of acting on them. Hides, and hopes for the best. 

* * *

The best, clearly, doesn’t include Doyoung not managing to convince his father.

He knew all along that it was a lost cause for many reasons, but it still stings when one day, Doyoung storms into his room unannounced to throw a fit about how his father is infuriating. He complains for a good few hours, Ten simply sipping wine from where he sits at his desk, until Doyoung finally sits down.

There, against all expectations, he puts his head between his hands and starts crying. Ten turns around, getting up but not knowing what to do. From a corner of the room, Joy motions for him to do something as she finally leaves to give them the privacy they definitely need. He opts to sit down next to him, handkerchief in one hand and glass of wine in the other. Doyoung simply takes the glass, downs it, and asks for another one which Ten gladly gives him. After the third one, he straightens up and lets him head fall back.

“I’m exhausted, Ten.”

He’s happy he’s finally agreeing to call him by his name and drop the formalities, but it’s not really appropriate to mention now. 

“I’ve spent days and days trying to find solutions, excuses, tricks and other things to change the situation, and this whole time, every time I would go to bed, Kun would come down and hug me and say everything will be alright. He… he trusts me so much and-” his voice breaks a little there, and swallowing back a sob, he keeps going. “I wanted to solve this. For myself, but mostly for him. He gave up so much of his life for me already, and for his father, I just wanted to be able to do something to pay him back.”

“You’re doing more than you think, Doyoung.”

“No, you don’t understand. He loves me so much he would be ready to live in my shadow his whole life. He’s foolish and so determined, I wish I was half the man he actually is, and yet I’m the one who’s shining instead of him. He deserves so much more than what I can give him. Even before it was decided that we have to get married, Ten, there was only so much I could give him. It doesn’t matter who I get married to, because it’ll never be him.”

Ten remains silent for a moment, thoughts racing through his mind, as he wishes he could find a solution. 

“I don’t want to see the pain in his eyes when I tell him the truth.”

“Do you want me to tell him?”

“What?”

“I understand your point of view, and at the end of the day, all of this is still because of me. So, if you don’t want to have to disappoint him, I can tell him that I went to plead to my father but he refused.”

In the same way, Doyoung stays silent as he watches him, eyes turning into slits as time passes. He scrutinises him so Ten decides to really look at him too. His hair is messy from a day of trying hard to make his point heard, his eyes are red and his skin is pale. His lips are even dry, and the lack of accessories on his outfit show how he hasn’t cared enough about himself. Ten extends a hand to tie up his shirt correctly, and surprisingly Doyoung doesn’t push him away.

“Why would you do that?”

“It’s time for me to own up to my mistakes, don’t you think?”

“I do. I was still the one who insisted on trying.”

“You’ve tried your best to fight for your freedom, and to be honest, I’m a little jealous of you.”

“Oh really?” Doyoung sits back a little more, eyebrows raised. Even his tone turns cocky. “You, the wonderful careless Prince, jealous of your spouse-to-be?”

“Yes,” Ten answers, choosing to ignore the poison in his voice. “The love Kun has for you is pure, and true, powerful. The reason I’m being betrothed to you is because I’ve failed to find someone to love me and love in return. I haven’t even really tried to. You are just a lucky dirty bastard.”

Doyoung laughs at this, and the prince takes pride in being able to make him react this way. 

“What a chance it is, indeed, to be in love without ever being able to be out and proud about it.”

“You could,” Ten starts, but then realises his mistake. “Here, you could have…”

“I’ve always loved men, Ten. I’ve lived my whole life, mostly, knowing that whoever I’d fall in love with would never be the one I’ll be married to. Or at least, that’s what I thought,” Doyoung spits, getting up to pour himself another drink; something stronger this time. “And then, one fine morning, I receive a letter from my dear father while I’m on a diplomatic trip to announce me that my wedding will happen in a few months, with none other than you.”

Ten finally understands the real sadness behind Doyoung’s cold front. The sadness, but also the pain, and the excruciating feeling of betrayal. 

“Just imagine, spending all your youth thinking that your partner will never be happy with you because you’ll have to marry a woman in the end, and keeping yourself from falling in love. And then, then, you do fall in love. And this man is the most beautiful soul you’ve ever been blessed to encounter, and he’s all yours. Yet not really, he’ll never be. Some woman will. And that’s what I keep telling myself, that it’s just because life is unfair and he’s a man, and that I’ll be fine. But you’re here, with a dick and no breast, with a proud smile and no shy glances, and I want to hate you.”

Ten feels paralyzed, sitting on his own bed listening to Doyoung’s words. Every single word is imprinted in his heart, in his mind, and he can’t get away from this. He wants to believe that Doyoung doesn’t actually hate him, he wants to believe that he still has a chance, he wants to believe that he won’t be the demise of Doyoung’s life. Because he doesn’t hate him, can’t even bring himself to think about it. Because Doyoung is strong and powerful, caring and selfless. Because Doyoung is in love with Kun, and so is Ten. Because Kun is in love with Doyoung, and so is Ten.

Because Ten has discovered what it is to truly love someone through the eyes of two men tragically in love, and he wants this. He craves it, just like how Doyoung craves the freedom of marrying the love of his life. His whole body burns with the desire to be loved in return, even if it’s only a pale reflection of the love Doyoung has for Kun. Because for one moment, Ten wishes he could be the one Doyoung is in love with, and if he has to be content with barely being tolerated instead of hated, then it’s all he’ll ever dare to ask for. 

“Do you? Do you hate me?” he implores when Doyoung doesn’t speak. 

“I don’t,” he says simply, downing his drink in one motion. He’s looking through the window, probably watching the wind dancing with the trees. “Despite all this, I don’t. It’s not really your fault, you never chose to get married to me specifically.”

The silence that follows is heavy and thick, making Ten want to escape his own room. For the first time, he wishes Joy hadn’t left them. He almost makes to call her back, before getting up to go stand near Doyoung. He’s taken his own shoes off and Doyoung still has his heels on; he feels incredibly small. 

“Somehow, you’re still the best option I could ask for. If not Kun, then I’d rather marry you.”

“What a romantic you are.”

“I guess I can be, yes. Ten,” Doyoung said before marking a pause. “What I really hate is the lie I’ve lived in and the false hope I’ve been given. I’m happy that it’s you, and I’m happy I’m not being forcefully betrothed to a woman I’ll have to have kids with.”

“Oh, if that’s what is worrying you, I’ll go tell everyone that we consummated our marriage.”

“Thanks, but you really don’t have to,” he snapped sarcastically. “More seriously, thank you. It must not be as easy for you as you make it seem.”

“You’re very wrong, actually. I love being a homewrecker.” Doyoung laughs again, and it’s all that matters for a second. “What I love the most is pissing off all those idiots who told my father he was foolish for letting me marry a man, and making them even madder when they see how fucking gorgeous you actually are.”

“Are you trying to subtly flatter me?”

“It’s not flattering if it’s true, Doyoung.”

At this instant, something between them shifts, and the look Doyoung is giving him isn’t all tired and careful like it used to be. Ten smiles to him, making himself seem more appealing. He’s not a homewrecker, but he’s still supposed to marry Doyoung at the end of the month and he intends to make sure it isn’t a torture for either of them. 

“I’m too drunk for whatever you’re trying to hint at.”

“Let me be honest then: you’re beautiful.” It’s the bravest he’s ever been with flirting, somehow always backing away when it got too real. “You’re beautiful, and totally my type, and despite knowing you’ll never be in love with me, I’m still glad you’re the one who’ll get to become my husband.”

At first, Doyoung seems mostly surprised, and then confused, before he sighs, blinks, and puts down his drink. He waves at Ten dismissively, not trying to come up with an answer with this. When he stops at the door, turning around and showing his face in the dim light, he does seem drunk and exhausted anymore.

“You know… If I didn’t have Kun, I feel like we could have been… happy. Yeah. Happy together.”

* * *

They don’t speak of this again at all, whether together or with anyone else. They go on with their life as if they hadn’t almost confessed to each other, and it seems perfect for both of them. The days go by, Kun grows sadder, Ten more tired, Doyoung more upset. The days go by, and soon they have to prepare for the wedding. 

On the wedding day, Ten doesn’t have a single second to himself, constantly surrounded by servants and guests and officials. He only gets a few minutes of intimacy with his sister and his father, which isn’t really intimate but it’s as close as it can get. Hendery looks at him with tears in his eyes all day long, until Ten has to grab him by the shoulder and make him stop crying because at this rate, he will cancel the whole ceremony and spend the night riding in the forest with him. 

He doesn’t get to see Doyoung once, and Kun only shows up among the other guests to present his best wishes. Despite perfectly knowing the etiquette, Ten takes him in his arms for a warm embrace, and he feels like Kun is giving him the strength he lacked so far. 

When he steps in the huge reception room, his father leading him to the autel where he stop and waits, he feels his eyes water. He wants to cry, to scream, to tear off his silvery outfit and throw away his crown to show everyone how pointless all of this is. But then, Doyoung steps in, wearing a beautiful burgundy outfit and a thin silver crown in his beautiful raven hair, and his breath stops. 

Selfishly, he thinks that he has at least the right to appreciate the beauty of his fiancé. When he comes to stand next to him, his brother going back to his assigned seat next to his wife, he smiles a little at Doyoung, who is even more breathtaking up close. He barely registers anything that happens around him, only looking into Doyoung’s eyes to give himself the determination he needs. 

They make their vows, bow in front of the other, and then Ten realises. 

They have to kiss. 

It’s an outdated practice in his kingdom and he’s only seen one couple do it in all the weddings he attended, but he suddenly remembers that it’s a common custom in Doyoung’s kingdom. It has been decided to mix both customs, and by the time he remembers fully, Doyoung is standing closer, delicate hands holding his own. 

And they kiss. 

He thinks, since it’ll probably be their only kiss, he might as well make the most of it. So he closes his eyes, holds tight on Doyoung’s hands, and kisses him for as long as he can while staying appropriate. 

The second after, they’re stepping back and everyone bows to them, welcoming their new prince. They bow their head in return, walking down to the middle of the room where they will have to dance, and Ten notices how his hand is still holding on to Doyoung’s, fingers tight around each other. 

He doesn’t want to think about it, so he lets himself get caught into the dance. They stop soon, greeting guests and officials and pretending like everything is fine for the rest of the night. 

At midnight, finally, they are escorted back to Ten’s room as they are supposed to spend the night together. They get rid of their heavily ornate clothes, each on their side of the room, before Hendery comes in with Doyoung’s night clothes. They have to put on a special night gown, which Ten frowns at. He figures he’ll still be able to take it off once it’s just the two of them. 

“I suppose we still have to sleep in the same bed.”

“Indeed. Unless you find my desk chair more comfortable, then you’re more than welcome to sleep there.”

“You’re exhausting.”

They don’t talk much more than that until they’re finally alone and in bed. Ten has taken most of his clothes off but Doyoung has insisted on keeping the traditional clothes on. The silence between them is a little too stuffy even though the open windows are letting in a soft breeze. 

“So, this is it.”

“What?”

“You’re a married man, now,” Ten observes with a smirk, leaning on his arm to look at his now husband. 

“Can you just not?”

“Oh come on. Let’s face it, I’m the one who’s losing there. You still have a loving partner, your status, your family. What do I have? A ghost of a husband and the impending shame of having to cheat on you if I want to find some affection.”

Doyoung sighs heavily, eyes closed, and doesn’t bother to answer. He lays down comfortably on his side, turning his back to Ten. Ten thinks he just doesn’t want to talk, so he blows the candle on his bedside table and closes his eyes. He focuses on the other man’s breathing, slow and steady, to make himself fall asleep. It’s an odd feeling, to have someone next to him in his bed, but he doesn’t let himself get used to it. 

* * *

Life goes back to its usual rhythm for Ten, even the presence of his husband not changing a thing to his routine. He does find himself get bored, however, and whenever he comes back to an empty bedroom, he feels that little sting in his heart knowing that Kun is the one sharing Doyoung’s bed, his  _ husband’s  _ bed, and not him.

It’s not like it came off as a surprise to him. He’d known it all along, perfectly aware of Doyoung’s lack of feeling for him, but as he’d gotten to know him a thin but heavy hope had started to bloom in his heart. Some nights, he would make himself sick at the thought of the  _ what ifs _ , the  _ maybes _ , the  _ buts _ . He would stay up late, writing at his desk or walking the gardens with Joy. He doesn’t know how to get rid of this stupid hope and the sadness that comes along.

That’s why he finds himself sitting in the blacksmith’s workshop, eating a small breakfast and complaining about his life. 

“It’s not like you really expected him to be romantic, right?”

“Of course not, Johnny, don’t be silly. But it’s hard not to hope, you know? The whole wedding felt like we were really a happy married couple, not just two princes pretending for the sake of the political agreement between their respective kingdoms!” 

“In other words, you got a taste of it and now you want it all. Very typical of you, Ten.”

Ten’s eyes throw daggers at him, going back to his loaf of bread to tear a piece and dip it into the jam jar. Some bread crumbs fall in the jar and soak in the jam, making Johnny frown at him. Petty, but satisfied.

“I didn’t come here to get a lecture, I know how my mind works.”

“Why did you come here then?” Johnny grumbled, putting down his tools to face the prince. 

“I… I suppose I wanted to escape it all for a moment.”

“Alright,” his tall friend says in a sigh, resuming work. “But I have a lot to do today, so you can’t stay too long.”

“Am I distracting you?”

“Yes, so finish your breakfast and leave.”

Ten complains about his friend being cranky, but he still doesn’t leave once his plate is empty. He wanders in the shop, looking at the shields and the swords, the knives and armor pieces, the silverware and more fancy jewels that the other smith, Yuta, has put away. He knows perfectly that there’s no point in lingering here, knowing that the only person who will be waiting for him with worry in his eyes will be Hendery. 

“You know, sometimes I wish I could have just married Hendery.”

“Poor boy, he would have died so young.”

“I’m not  _ that  _ annoying.”

Ten thinks, what he loves the most about Johnny is how truthful he is with him. He doesn’t care about formalities or status, he only cares about being honest to the person he sees in front of him. It strikes him as he’s looking at his back hunched over the hearth, this affection he has for Johnny and the reason why they’ve been friends for so long. Why he loves mingling with the people and couldn’t care less about all the aristocrats and other important people coming to the castle. 

He hates when people try so hard to please him, and that’s what makes Doyoung so attractive. That’s what makes Kun so precious. That’s what makes him crave their love and attention, but it doesn’t make his love for them less true. 

“Can’t I just marry you, then?”

Johnny starts laughing with his head thrown back and his eyes filled with tears.

“Ten, I wasn’t even invited to the wedding, what makes you think your father wouldn’t have a stroke at the idea of his treasured son marrying a blacksmith?”

“Ugh, true. I’m pretty sure Yuta would kill me first, anyway.”

“He definitely would,” Johnny confirms in a giggle. “What’s the real problem with Doyoung?”

“There isn’t any! That’s the problem. I wish I could just hate him, or be disgusted about him, but no. He’s strutting around looking and being so perfect, and I’m his husband but not really because he has Kun and I can’t fit there!”

“Kun?”

Ten looks at him with big eyes, realising his mistake a little too late.

“Fuck, you weren’t supposed to know that. But yeah, basically it’s just like marrying you but knowing you’re still in love Yuta and will never love me.”

“Have you asked?”

“What?”

Ten turns around in a flutter of fabric, looking at Yuta who has just come in with a big wooden box in his arms. 

“Have you asked if any of them loves you?”

“You know, this is why I hate talking to you. You’re just being ridiculous.”

“No, actually I get it,” Johnny chimes in, looking over at Ten with raised eyebrows. “You can’t know unless you ask.”

“No, Doyoung has been quite clear about this all. He said it himself,  _ if  _ he didn’t have Kun we could have been a happy couple.”

Both his friends look at each other, communicating with raised eyebrows and twisted smiles, before they look back at him. Ten rolls his eyes at their antics, but still doesn’t know what they mean. 

“He said if.”

“Yeah, but he has Kun, so it’s pointless.”

“Sure.”

Ten sighs, before helping Yuta with setting up the materials he’s just brought back. Without really wanting to, the idea grows in his mind, and he starts thinking about it for real this time. His brain has put this sentence aside because it had been late and he had drunk quite a lot, but he can’t help it. It was still said very clearly and with so much honesty it gives a new breath of life to his dying hope. He wants to hate it, and yet, he knows he will not know one night of rest until he is absolutely sure neither Doyoung nor Kun loves him.

He waves goodbye at his friends quickly, grabbing the training swords he had come to retrieve in the first place, and runs back to the castle. There, near the gates, he finds Hendery waiting for him with his training outfit in his hands, sighing with relief when he sees Ten back safe and sound.

“You should hurry to the training grounds, the children are waiting for you.”

“Of course, thank you Henney.”

“Oh, and before you leave… Joy was furious when she saw you left without her, so make sure to apologise to her. She’s with Joohyun in the library.”

“Alright, I’ll make sure of it.”

Ten spends his day fulfilling his duties around the castle, bringing Joy a piece of peach cake to make up for his little escapade and she forgives him after he promises to bring her a second one. At the end of the day, he hasn’t had a single second to himself, even less to go see Kun and have a talk with him. He lays down on his bed feeling exhausted, only wearing his night clothes and a long dressing gown to cover himself. He’s reading a book about medicinal effects of herbal tea when someone knocks on his door. Hendery has already gone to bed and Joy was given her night off to spend it with Joohyun, so he gets up and opens the door with a frown on his face.

There stand both Kun and Doyoung, faces tired and still wearing their day clothes. Ten lets them in without a question, though thousands of them are running through his mind. They sit down, Doyoung on his bed and Kun on the small loveseat, hands playing with a throw pillow sitting there. Ten chooses to stay standing, book still in his hand.

“We had a talk,” Doyoung starts.

“Congratulations.”

“Ten, please.”

It’s Kun who says this, eyes asking for his patience, and he simply can’t refuse him anything. So, not without a sigh, he agrees and sits down next to Kun, book forgotten on his desk. 

“This is probably a lot to ask of you, and we would like you to understand that we do not expect you to agree. I merely wanted you to know.”

“You sound so serious,” and Ten knows perfectly that it is not the appropriate moment to start joking, but he can’t help his own defense mechanism. Doyoung rolls his eyes, lips tight, hands clutched. 

“Without taking our wedding into account, I would like you to know that despite what I’ve been showing most of the time, I do appreciate you a lot. It’s important that you know you have become someone dear to me.”

Ten looks at him for a long time, trying to find where he will burst into laughter and say it was all a joke, or something his father has made him say, or Kun’s way of making him feel more welcome. But it doesn’t come, and Ten stays there, leaning back on his hands, eyes boring holes in his husband’s head. 

“Keep going, will you.”

Kun clears his throat, turning to him. 

“I think you’ve been able to notice it yourself, but I have myself grown close to you, and I appreciate your presence and your words more than just as the Prince’s.”

“Alright,” Ten declares after a whole minute, his mouth dry. “Are you done? I would love to sleep a little before the night ends.”

“Can you just… Please, Ten, listen to us. It isn’t an easy request.” Doyoung looks more exhausted than a few minutes ago. Ten huffs and crosses his arms but gives them the time to gather their thoughts. 

“We have been in a relationship for a long time, now, and even though we knew that Doyoung would have to marry someone, we had never considered a different… dynamic in our relationship.” 

“What does any of this have to do with me?”

“You are my husband, Ten, this has everything to do with you.”

“I’m afraid I still don’t understand. We have been forcefully married, we’re not in love.”

The silence that follows makes him want to take his words back. It’s thick, it’s heavy and it’s starting to seep into his lungs, smothering him in the worst way. An awkward laugh comes out of his mouth, but no one else laughs along and everything feels even worse. 

“We aren’t, right?”

“I told you this was pointless,” and those words aren’t directed to him but it feels like all the poison and resentment in Doyoung’s voice is still for him. 

“Doyoung, please. Wouldn’t you feel the same?”

“Could one of you please explain?”

Kun sighs, turns around and takes Ten’s hands in his. His eyes are soft, understanding, and somewhat pleading. Ten falls head first in them. 

“Doyoung and I have talked for long hours about you, and we have come to the conclusion that putting you aside is not only unfair, but also something we do not want to do. We both care too much about you to treat you like a stranger in our relationship.”

“What do you mean exactly? Because it sounds like you want me to be a part of your relationship, but it can’t be. Right?”

“Only if you want it too, Ten. We do not want you to accept something you do not wish to do.”

Everything that follows this talk still feels like a dream to Ten, and sometimes he does think that he has dreamed up the whole thing. They keep talking it out, until his brain can’t take it anymore and they decide to talk about it the next day. 

The next day, Ten is full of doubt and insecurity, not really knowing what he wants out of it. He sits down at the table Hendery had set up for them to have tea and talk, but he’s still alone. One of the cats that usually roams the castle’s hallways comes to sit on his lap and he takes in the comfort from the animal. He tries to weigh his options, to think of all he has to gain or lose, all the risks. 

He’s afraid. Afraid of ruining everything. Afraid of feeling out of place. Afraid of acting stupid. Afraid of being judged. Afraid to seize the opportunity in front of him because of failure. 

He’s afraid of failure. Like he’s always been. He’s afraid of love, which is new. 

As he hears voices coming from down the hall, he remembers this thing his sister used to tell him when they were kids and he would stick to playing swords because it was the only thing he was good at. He would argue that if he didn’t try, at least he wouldn’t fail, and one day she had looked at him dead in the eye and said with all the confidence in her body “ _ the one who doesn’t try fails only once _ ”. 

When Hendery comes in, followed by Doyoung and Kun, he has made his mind, and for the first time in his life he is ready to try is hardest to do well and learn from his failures. 

  
  


(From there, their lives aren’t all calm and nice, but they do their best to make it work and love each other unconditionally, and that’s all that matters.) 

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I hope you all liked it, and thank you for reading! 
> 
> [tumblr](https://umiwomitai.tumblr.com) [twt](https://twitter.com/_tildawn) [cc](https://curiouscat.me/umiwomitai)


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